Ser Pippin the Short of House Boldbuck - Grenadier Halfling Paladin (1992)

Ah, finally! This is a special one. You must know back in 1992, when I was a young boy who just discovered Fantasy books and role-playing games, I took a bus to the city centre to the famous shop Pergioco, a marvellous tresure cave hidden in a secret corner of a back alley - that is to say, a tiny shop with a stair leading to an underground room full of games-related wonders. I was looking for a miniature to represent my MERP PCs, a Sinda Elf warrior, and eventually that day I bought my first miniature. But while rummaging through blisters I was thunderstruck by a single figure, and it was love at first sight. It was a Grenadier blister showing a hobbit in full armour, prancing on a pony and pointing his sword ready to charge. I can't describe the sense of wonder at the time. I wanted it, but I didn't have enough money for two miniatures, and eventually I didn't buy it, and when I came back some time later it was gone. Good-bye, Hobbit paladin (that was the name I have him). Will I ever see you again? 

 

The miniature was a lovely sculpt from that same year 1992, made by Mark Copplestone, initially as part of the Grenadier 1440 Halfling Heroes, and later issued in a single blister. The tab reads "Fluffy Bunny, A875" but the number doesn't match with the Grenadier catalogue.

What happened to Grenadier is history. Apparently the moulds were bought by their Italian distributor Stratelibri but then sold again, after the untimely passing of its owner and manager Giovanni Ingellis, to Mirliton S.G. And it is on their website that I found again my long-lost teenage crush, now renamed as "Halfman Paladin".

There are many things that appear great to our eyes when we are still innocent, but later reveal themselves as something else, just a disappointment. After all, expectations are high but the ability to marvel at beauty is not the same as it once was to our old, jaded taste of old-school grognards. This is not one of them. It's just amazing, and I love it. It is a great model, and I am so happy to have it that I'm not even mad that the sword came bent and when I tried to fix it its tip broke off. Never mind, I fixed it with greenstuff, and I'm okay with it. The Hobbit Paladin is mine!

I painted it as I always imagined it, fresh from the reading of the Lord of the Rings - in the black and white colours of Gondor. Because the hyperuranion Hobbit Paladin or Knight can only be Pippin Took, towering over other hobbits in his Citadel Guard winged helm and uniform. The shield should have born the device of a white tree of course, but with the crest being a bunny, I decided to keep the same on the shield - why yes, it's a rabbit or a hare, not a steinbock! I have to keep practicing with my freehand...

And so I give you Paladin Boldbuck, Halfling knight, friend and companion of the Elector of Averland, also known as Ser Pippin the Short, Defender of the Moot! If you are an enemy, turn away, and if you are a friend, join us for dinner at our manor!